In education, heutagogy, a term coined by Stewart Hase of Southern Cross University and Chris Kenyon in Australia, is the study of self-determinedlearning. The notion is an expansion and reinterpretation of andragogy, and it is possible to mistake it for the same. However, there are several differences between the two that mark one from the other.

Heutagogy places specific emphasis on learning how to learn, double loop learning, universal learning opportunities, a non-linear process, and true learner self-direction. So, for example, whereas andragogy focuses on the best ways for people to learn, heutagogy also requires that educational initiatives include the improvement of people’s actual learning skills themselves, learning how to learn as well as just learning a given subject itself. Similarly, whereas andragogy focuses on structured education, in heutagogy all learning contexts, both formal and informal, are considered.

“Heutagogy is the study of self-determined learning … It is also an attempt to challenge some ideas about teaching and learning that still prevail in teacher centred learning and the need for, as Bill Ford (1997) eloquently puts it ‘knowledge sharing’ rather than ‘knowledge hoarding’. In this respect heutagogy looks to the future in which knowing how to learn will be a fundamental skill given the pace of innovation and the changing structure of communities and workplaces.”

From DSC:Harold’s posting made me see that the move (or need to move) towards self-directed/determined learning seems to be happening in the corporate world as well. From my own 15 years of experience in the corporate world, I can see how this was true even back then — and even moreso these days when businesses can be disrupted almost overnight.

We all need to be able to hold things loosely…to adapt…to reinvent ourselves…to stay relevant.

Questions:

How can we help students in K-12 own their own learning?

How can we help students in higher ed own and control more of their learning?

How can we help employees in the corporate world direct/determine their own learning?

How can we better help folks transition from one chapter of their lives to another?